Kano Election Tribunal Upholds Victory Of Senator Rufa’i Hanga

The National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kano has affirmed the election of Senator Rufa’i Hanga as the elected representative of the Kano Central Senatorial District.

Abdulsalam Abdulkarim Zaura, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25, 2023, senatorial election conducted in Kano Central, had challenged the Independent Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Hanga from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as the election winner.

Zaura, represented by his counsel Ishaka Dikko (SAN), urged the tribunal to declare him the winner of the election and overturn INEC’s announcement of Hanga as the poll winner.

He claimed that the Kano Central senatorial poll was plagued by irregularities, malpractices, and violations of the Electoral Act.

However, the respondents – INEC, NNPP, Hanga, and Ibrahim Shekarau – countered the petition by asserting that the election was lawfully conducted.

In the verdict delivered on Monday, the three-judge panel led by Justice I.P Chima affirmed that “The petitioner failed to prove non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 therefore the petition is hereby dismissed.

“Consequently, the petitioner is to pay the second respondent NNPP the sum of N300,000 cost and also to pay first, second, third and fourth respondents the sum of N300,000.”